Alert based on detection of unexpected wireless device

Abstract

Methods, systems, and computer readable media can be operable to generate an alert in response to a detection of an unexpected wireless device within a premises. An access device may receive a communication from a wireless device and may retrieve identification information associated with the wireless device from the communication. The access device may compare the retrieved identification information to identification information associated with one or more known devices, and if the retrieved identification information does not match the identification information associated with any of the known devices, the access device may identify the wireless device as an unexpected wireless device. The access device may output an alert providing a notification that an unexpected wireless device has been detected within an associated premises.

We claim: 
     
       1. A method comprising:
 while a security mode is enabled at an access device, receiving a communication from a wireless device, wherein the communication comprises a probe request message, wherein the probe request message comprises device identification information associated with the wireless device, and wherein the communication is received at the access device; 
 retrieving the device identification information from the communication; 
 comparing the retrieved device identification information to device identification information associated with one or more known devices that are included within a list of known devices, wherein device identification information for each respective one known device of the one or more known devices is added to the list of known devices when the access device receives a communication from the respective one known device while the security mode is disabled at the access device; 
 determining that the retrieved device identification information does not match device identification information associated with any of the one or more known devices; 
 identifying the wireless device as an unexpected wireless device based on the determination that the retrieved device identification information does not match device identification information associated with any of the one or more known devices; and 
 outputting an alert, wherein the alert comprises a notification of the identification of the wireless device as an unexpected wireless device. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 retrieving an indication of the strength of a signal between the wireless device and one or more access devices; and 
 based upon the measured strength of the signal between the wireless device and the one or more access devices, determining a location of the wireless device relative to the one or more access devices, wherein the location of the wireless device relative to the one or more access devices comprises a distance between the wireless device and the one or more access devices and a direction of the wireless device with respect to one or more of the access devices. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 storing the retrieved device identification information; and 
 storing a time at which the communication was received from the wireless device. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the alert is output to a remote server. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the alert is output to a security device within a corresponding premises, the alert causing the activation of the security device. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the retrieved device identification information comprises a media access control (MAC) address. 
     
     
       7. An access device comprising:
 one or more interfaces configured to be used to receive a communication from a wireless device while a security mode is enabled at the access device, wherein the communication comprises a probe request message, wherein the probe request message comprises device identification information associated with the wireless device; 
 one or more modules configured to: 
 retrieve device identification information from the communication; 
 compare the retrieved device identification information to device identification information associated with one or more known devices that are included within a list of known devices, wherein device identification information for each respective one known device of the one or more known devices is added to the list of known devices when the access device receives a communication from the respective one known device while the security mode is disabled at the access device; 
 determine that the retrieved device identification information does not match device identification information associated with any of the one or more known devices; and 
 identify the wireless device as an unexpected wireless device based on the determination that the retrieved device identification information does not match device identification information associated with any of the one or more known devices; and 
 wherein the one or more interfaces are further configured to be used to output an alert, the alert comprising a notification of the identification of the wireless device as an unexpected wireless device. 
 
     
     
       8. The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the one or more interfaces are further configured to be used to retrieve an indication of the strength of a signal between the wireless device and one or more access devices; and 
 the one or modules are further configured to, based upon the measured strength of the signal between the wireless device and the one or more access devices, determine a location of the wireless device relative to the one or more access devices, wherein the location of the wireless device relative to the one or more access devices comprises a distance between the wireless device and the one or more access devices and a direction of the wireless device with respect to one or more of the access devices. 
 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the alert is output to a remote server. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the alert is output to a security device within a corresponding premises, the alert causing the activation of the security device. 
     
     
       11. The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the retrieved device identification information comprises a media access control (MAC) address. 
     
     
       12. One or more non-transitory computer readable media having instructions operable to cause one or more processors to perform the operations comprising:
 while a security mode is enabled at an access device, receiving a communication from a wireless device, wherein the communication is received by the access device, and wherein the communication received at the access device from the wireless device comprises a probe request message, wherein the probe request message comprises device identification information associated with the wireless device; 
 retrieving the device identification information from the communication; 
 comparing the retrieved device identification information to device identification information associated with one or more known devices that are included within a list of known devices, wherein device identification information for each respective one known device of the one or more known devices is added to the list of known devices when the access device receives a communication from the respective one known device while the security mode is disabled at the access device; 
 determining that the retrieved device identification information does not match device identification information associated with any of the one or more known devices; 
 identifying the wireless device as an unexpected wireless device based on the determination that the retrieved device identification information does not match device identification information associated with any of the one or more known devices; and 
 outputting an alert, wherein the alert comprises a notification that an unexpected wireless device has been detected within a premises associated with the access device. 
 
     
     
       13. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of  claim 12 , wherein the instructions are further operable to cause one or more processors to perform the operations comprising:
 retrieving an indication of the strength of a signal between the wireless device and the access device; and 
 based upon the measured strength of the signal between the wireless device and the access device, determining a location of the wireless device relative to the location of the access device, wherein the location of the wireless device relative to the location of the access device comprises a distance between the wireless device and the access device and a direction of the wireless device with respect to the location of the access device. 
 
     
     
       14. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of  claim 12 , wherein the instructions are further operable to cause one or more processors to perform the operations comprising:
 storing the retrieved device identification information; and 
 storing a time at which the communication was received from the wireless device. 
 
     
     
       15. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of  claim 14 , wherein the retrieved device identification information comprises a media access control (MAC) address. 
     
     
       16. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of  claim 12 , wherein the alert is output to a remote server. 
     
     
       17. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of  claim 12 , wherein the alert is output to a security device within the premises associated with the access device, the alert causing the activation of the security device.